Thread carrier for knitting machines



Sept. 10, 1935.

F. G. WEISBECKER Original Filed Aug. 7, 1934 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THREAD CARRIER FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original application August 7, 1934, Serial No. 738,845. Divided and this application May 24,

1935, Serial No. 23,293

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in knitting machinery, and more particularly to flat, full-fashioned knitting machines for hosiery and the like, the present application being a divi- 5 sion of my prior application, Serial No. 738,845.

In knitting machinery of this type, comprising a series of sinkers adapted to successively advance behind a transversely moving yarn carrier, previous practice has been to employ a yarn guide, usually of steel or other rigid metal, in the. form of a tube mounted upon and projecting from the lower end of each yarn carrier, and through which the thread or yarn is led. In normal operation of such a kniting machine, the sinkers, the top edges of which are slightly above the level represented by the lower end of the guide tube, are caused to recede within a sinker bed prior to return movement of the yarn carrier. In actual practice, however, due to sticking of the sinkers, or for other mechanical reasons, an individual sinker sometimes fails to properly recede, with the result that the guide tube of the yarn carrier comes into contact with the misplaced sinker and bends or fractures the same, consequently disabling, temporarily at least, the knitting machine.

Since the sinkers are usually required to be made of comparatively thin material, such as thin sheet steel, the guide tube, if of .unyielding steel, as is the customary practice, either breaks or permanently deforms one or more of the sinkers so engaged. This breaking or deforming of the sinkers may result also in breakage of needles, wasting of yarn, spoilage of work, and excessive loss of time through the necessary shutdown of the whole machine in order to remove and replace the damaged parts and readjust the machine. It will at once be apparent that the reduction in the amount of lost production time of this kind is highly desirable and will improve the eiiiciency of the knitting machine.

v Moreover, in the manufacture of various type stockings, it is necessary for the operator to set the yarn carriers in difierent positions. For example, in plating, where two yarns are used, it is necessary to set the yarn carrier higher above the sinkers than in straight type knitting, where only one. yarn is used and where the carrier is set'closer and lower to the sinkers. With the rigid guide tube of the prior art, much breakage and consequent loss of time often ensues before a proper adjustment of each yarn carrier can be made. Furthermore, in work such as plating, the operator must use extreme care and caution in order to get perfect knitting. During the preliminary adjusting period, therefore, the entire machine is run at a very slow speed in order to lessen the possibility of such breakage, because of the rigid character of the guide tube now generally used. Such slow running of the knitting machine results, necessarily, in a corresponding loss 5 in production and increase in over-head expenses.

According to my invention the rigid carrier and/or guide tube of the prior art is replaced by a flexible and yielding form of guide member and/or carrier, of such size and shape that in- 10 stead of being broken, or causing the breaking or deforming of the sinkers and/or needles, it will yield sufiiciently upon encountering an obstruction in its path, such as a sinker, so as to obviate the above enumerated troubles and their attend- 5 ant loss of time and eiliciency.

This invention also provides for quick replacement of worn or damaged yarn guide tips on the yarn carrier.

Further objects of my invention and a more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of same, will appear below in the description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a knitting machine embodying my improved form of yarn carrier;

Figure 2 is a front view of a yarn carrier with guide tube mounted thereon;

Figure 3 is a side view corresponding to Figure 2.

In Figure 1 is illustrated a portion of a fullfashioned hosiery knitting machine, for which my invention is especially adapted. The reference numeral I designates the sinker bed, in which are alternately disposed sinkers 2 and dividers3 for reciprocation in the usual manner. Between these sinkers and dividers are located the needles 4, and below the row of sinkers and dividers and at the needle side of the machine is arranged a row of knockover bits 5.

The yarn carrier is designated as G and is 40 adapted in the usual manner to move longitudinally of the sinker bed and lay a thread or yarn I in front of the needles 4 upon the sinkers 2 and dividers 3. The yarn carrier consists of a flat strip of metal, relatively thin, as shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3. The yarn carrier is preferably bent at an angle at its lower end, as shown at 8, and includes a gradually deepening groove 0r slot 9, at the lower and deeper end of which an aperture or recess I0 is drilled, and within which the hollow guide member I l is mounted.

The guide member illustrated in the figures comprises a coiled spring I2 (see Figure 3) secured as by-soldering or in any other suitable manner in the aperture Ill. The coil spring I! also extends below and beyond the lower end of the carrier 6 and contains within this ex tended portion a short tube element or guide tip it, preferably of steel or other hard and wearresisting material. From this form of construction it is at once apparent that if the tube i3 comes in contact with a relatively flxed object, as for example a sinker 2, the coil spring I! will readily permit deflection of the tube J3 and so allow the carrier to pass without damaging any part or parts of the machine.

The tube It may be secured within the coil spring I! by soldering, or by any other suitable means. I prefer, however, to employ a tube l3 of slightly larger external diameter than the internal diameter of the coil spring, whereby the tube is'held in position by friction only and may be removed and inserted readily without the use of any soldering iron or torch. Thus the tube l3 may be placed in position within the coil spring I! by a simple turning or screwing movement of the tube which advances the tube into a position within the coil convolutions and in which position the tube will be firmly and securely held by frictional engagement. In detaching the tube l3, as for replacement, the coil spring I! may be slightly twisted in the direction to enlarge its internal diameter to release the frictional engagement and permit ready withdrawal of the tube l3.

While the drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of this invention, modifications of same will be apparent to the art. I therefore, claim as part of my invention all variations of the illustrated embodiment within the limits of the appended claims.

In addition to the advantages of my flexible carrier, described above, I have also found that knots and slubs will pass through such a flexible carrier with much less likelihood of breakage of the thread or yarn than is the case with the still or rigid arrangement customarily employed. This result appears to be due to the fact that less jerking of the thread is caused by the passage of such knots or slubs through the flexible carrier than occurs with the stiff and unyielding form of construction.

By the use of my invention, also, the amount of spoiled work, and the resulting mending and waste of material is materially reduced when a machine so equipped is making what is called "split work. This split work consists of a cotton thread lapping over a silk thread the distance of two or four needles. In making split work with the regular carriers the latter are often set so high (to avoid striking the sinkers) that the machine fails to connect the two threads together, and spoiled work results. My improved form of carrier, however, may be set extremely low, without danger of breakage, and such spoilage is substantially eliminated.

Other advantages and modes of practicing my invention will readily occur to one skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable with respect to said bed, and a yarn carrier coacting with said sinkers, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a helical coil spring which readily yields to deflecfion in event of engagement of a sinker with said guide.

2. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable with respect to said bed, and a yarn a. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable to advanced positions beyond said bed, and a yarn carrier coacting with said sinkers normally out of contact therewith, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a tubular member of flexible material which readily yields to deflection upon'abnormal contact between said guide and a sinker.

4. The combination with a knitting machine 15 comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable with respect to said bed, and a yam carrier coacting with said sinkers, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a helical coil spring secured at one-end to said carrier, and 20 a metal guide tube secured within the other end of said coil spring, whereby in event of engagement of a sinker with said tube deflection of the latter will be permitted and deformation or breakage of said sinker prevented. 5. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable with respect to said bed, and a yarn carrier coacting with said sinkers, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a helical coil spring secured at one end to said carrier, and a metal guide tube frictionally secured within the other end of said coil spring, whereby in event of engagement of a sinker with said tube deflection of the latter will be permitted and deformation or breakage of said sinker prevented.

6. A yarn carrier for use on flat knitting machines, comprising an arm and a tubular yarn guide carried at the lower end thereof, at least a part of said guide consisting of a helical coil spring which readily yields to permit deflection of the guide in event of its striking an obstruction in its path of movement.

7. In a yarn carrier for use on flat knitting machines, a yarn guide tube secured to the lower end 5 thereof, and resilient means for securing said tube in such position, the said means providing a flexible connection between said tube and the carrier proper adjacent the inner end of said tube, the said connection permitting deflection of the tube laterally with respect to the axis of its normal position in event of its striking an obstruction in its path of movement.

8. A yarn carrier for use on flat knitting machines comprising a substantially rigid arm constituting the carrier proper, and a yarn guide tube secured to the lower end thereof, the securing means consisting of a resilient element to permit deflection of the tube adiacent its point of support, said deflection being laterally with w respect to the axis of the normal position of the tube and allowing the tube to ride past an obstruction in its path of movement.

9. In a yarn carrier for use on a knitting machine, a yarn guide comprising a helical coil 5 spring secured at its inner end to said carrier, and a guide tube frictionally secured within the outer end of said coil spring.

10. In a yarn carrier for use on a knitting machine, a tubular yarn guide consisting at least in part of a helical coil spring secured at one end only to the carrier to permit its deflection in event the guide strikes an obstruction during movement of the carrier.

11. In a yarn carrier for use on a flat knitting 7 machine, a coil spring supported at one end from the carrier and having its other end free to flex and a guide tip carried bythe free end of said spring whereby the said guide tip may ride past an obstruction in its path of movement.

12. A yarn carrier for use on a flat knitting machine comprising a carrier proper having its lower end bent at an angle to the main part of the carrier, said bent end carrying a tubular guide at its tip and comprising articulated parts to permit deflection of said guide in the plane of movement of said bent end during travel or the carrier and to allow said guide to ride past an obstruction in its path of movement.

13. A yarn carrier for use on a flat knitting machine comprising angularly disposed substantially straight portions, 9. guide tube at the outer end of one of said straight portions, and a connection interposed in said last-mentioned portion to permit deflection of the guide tube in the plane of movement of said last-named portion during travel of the carrier and to allow said tube to ride past an obstruction in its path or movement.

14. A yarn carrier for use on a flat knitting machine comprising angularly disposed substantially straight portions, 9. guide tube at the outer end of one of said straight portions, and a resilient connection interposed in said last-mentioned portion to permit deflection of the guide tube in the plane of movement of said last-named portion during travel of the carrier and to restore said guide tube to its normal portion after defiection.

15. A yarn carrier for use on flat knitting machines comprising a substantially rigid arm constituting a carrier proper, and a yarn guide tube secured to the lower end thereof, the securing means consisting of a resilient element'to permit deflection of the tube adiacent its point of support for riding past an obstruction in its path of movement and to restore the guide tube to its 20 normal portion after deflection.

FRANK G. WEISBECKER. 

